Contacting apparatus



Aug. 6, 1940. E. R BRODEN COTACTING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 29, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ww W N" u) INVENTOR NN EdwinRBroden Q af Mm N N P M N my Aug 6, 1940- E. R. BRODEN CONTACTING APPARA TUS y2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 29, 1939 INVENTOR Edwin l. Braden Patented Aug. (i, 1940 o ,125210,059 ooN'rAof'rlNG APPARATUS Pittsburgh, Pa., lassigner gto-,

. y Edwin R. Broden,

BlaW-Knox Company, poration of New Jersey Application september 29, 1939, serial No. .297,1'2'5 f *s claims. (ci. 18s-14) The p-resent invention relates generally to contacting apparatusffor effecting intimate contact between a liquid and a gas for the purpose of removing dust or mist or somev chemical constituent from the gas or for adding some substance to the gas Which is contained in the liquid. More particularly,' it relates to an improved apparatus for effecting intimate contactfbetween the gas and liquid and for removing any entrapped liquid from. the gas .after it has been brought into contact with the liquid. The invention is particularly applicable to gas cleaning and hence will be described hereinafter as so applied.

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As is Well known by thoselskilled in :this art, cleaners of the character to which the present invention relates. are-placed kin gas delivery and distribution lines for the .purpose of eliminating impurities from the gas. Gas pressures prevailing in such lines vary over quite'a .Widerange and hence it is necessary to provide a Varietyof cleaners in order to take care of y-the vdifferent pressure conditions Yencountered and the `dif'- ferent capacities required. vention I eliminate the necessity of having su'ch a large variety of cleaners. Thisisiaccomplished by the provision of a cleaning unit or cartridge which may be of the same construction regardless of the pressure of thefgas to be cleanedand which is mounted in ashell orvcontaineroi suiciently rugged construction tok take care of the gas pressures to be encountered. Assuming that cleaners having va given capacity are desired for installations utilizing diierent gas pressures, one type of cartridge can be utilized forall such in#-l stallations, it being necessary only to selectan outer shell or container V Which is, sufficiently rugged to withstand the pressure to be encountered in any particular installation.

In some distribution systems it is not necessary to have pipe lines or the apparatus connected to Y them capable of resisting more than approximately 50 pounds pressureper square inch While in other cases the pressure may exceed this concharacter to Whichthepresent invention is par.- ticularly applicable, the pressures encountered may run from lower than 50 pounds" per square linch to approximately 500 pounds per square inch.

As the part of the apparatus which actually cleans the gas is not subjected to great idiierences in pressure that portion of the apparatus may be standardized so that it may .be used in systems in which the gas pressures may vary over a Wide range. 4By providing a; cleaner which is remov- By -the presentv in.-v

-adapted for installation in pipe lines offmoderate In small distribution systems of 'aA able as a unit from'the outer shell or ycontainer it is .only necessaryy to change.'the shell.. for diierent installations. In commerciali practice one shell may be made suiciently "heavy to withstand 50' pounds pressure,..anotheri250 pounds pressure, another500 poundszpressure and these :three different strengthsoi outer shell Willv be sufficient to adapt the .entire apparatus to practically any range of pressure likelyito-b' encountered in an ordinary distribution system. Oi course in vany installation-.1in determining the size of shell to be used the volurrielA of lga's'fto be delivered as Well as the pressureswillfbevtaken into consideration'. The higher the pressure the denser the gas and with` a a greater Weight oi gas Will pass` through` the pipe line and thewcleaner at a given :velocityjin a given time. I f the gas ishighlyfcompressed the capacity of the; leaner in cubic feet .efjgas per second Will be substantially the sameas ifthe gas is ata lov/pressure but :the totali Weightjjof gas or the total quantityf'of gasasgitpisdelivered to the ,consumer at a lower pressure will begreater in a cleaner ofy given size-the'fgreat f sure' L L'- '12;

The cleaner which I provide is partie size such as lines 1 to2 inches yor; slightlylarger in diameter although ity-inlay blij-used inY much larger installations. Wherel-Y verylarge pipey lines, areiequipped with gascleaners, however,itis` preferable to adopt some f y o struction to more conveniently yhandle the large quantities ofv gas. The cleanervvhichel provide `may be installed in any gasline merelygby cutting a small section out ofthepipe and ley-apply? ing the necessary connections-to the cleaner.l lArs a general rule, when the cleaner is installed Ain a pipe line, .valves are. also installed ,.toyrnake it `more convenient tovdisconnecti the cleanerorto bypass Athe fiow'of gas laround thecleanerfwhenf [ever rit is vnecessarynfto yreplenish the contacting liquid. Asthe provision of suchpipe}co'nnections .and valvesis Within the skill-oi rthose employed in this art suchsubject-matter .ormsfno part of the present invention f and' is not 4disclosed inthe Vpreferred embodiment illustratedin thel dr Wingsv referred to hereinafter.

In laddition to providing a structu'e Whichcan be standardized inthe manner mentionedabova Iprovide acleaner `Which isgoilarge'capacity in proportion to its s'i`ze;and.which.gis capablefoi joperating continuously viforflong periodsv ottime withoutanyattention. i I 351.11.93 Q ]Qanl "which,

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character that the upward flow of gas within the cleaner is interrupted so that liquid which is entrapped in the gas may be effectively taken therefrom and returned to the pool of liquid in the cleaner. This feature of the present invention is of substantial importance in cleaners of the character mentioned above as it is highly desirable that such cleaners be capable of operating without any attention for long periods of time. If provision is not made for eliminating substantially all of the entrapped liquid from the gas during its passage through the cleaner the structure cannot operate over a long period of time without replacement of the contacting liquid. This feature of the invention will be more specilically described hereinafter.

Other advantageous features of the cleaner which I provide will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration only a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a cleaner embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a lvertical section through the outer shell or container of the cleaner illustrated in `Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan' view of the top? cover of the cleaner illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an elevational View, partly in section, of the cartridge cleaner embodied in the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 5;

Figure 'l' is a partial section taken along the line VII-VII of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a partial section taken along the line VIII- VIII of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a partial section taken along the line IX-IX of Figure 5; and

Figure 10 is a section taken along the line X-X of Figure 5.

As shown in the drawings, the cleaner which I provide embodies a container or outer shell 2, a top cover 3 and a` cleaning unit or cartridge 4, the cartridge 4 being mounted in the shell 2 and being supported by the cover 3 in the manner described hereinafter. The cover is provided with an inlet opening 5 and an outlet opening 6 through which the gas enters and leaves the cleaner. The gas enters the cleaner through the inlet 5 and passes downwardly around the cartridge 4 and then up through the cartridge and out of the cleaner through the outlet opening 6.

The container 2 may be a section of a circular pipe of Whatever thickness is needed to withstand the pressure or it may be a tank made specially for the purpose. The container is provided with a bottom 'I which closes olf one end thereof; This bottom 'I will, of course, be made sufliciently thick to withstand the pressures encountered in operation and will be tightly secured to the side walls of the shell by welding or any other suitable method. At the upper end, the shell 2 is connected by Welding or otherwise to a flanged coupling member 8 which is provided with bolt holes 9 for bolting it and the cover 3 together. The cover 3 is likewise provided with bolt holes III corresponding with the bolt holes 9 and bolts I I are passed through these openings and the anged coupling 8 and the cover A3 securely fastened together by means of the nuts I2 which cooperate with the threaded ends of the bolts. While the cover 3 is shown attached to the shell by bolts, any suitable type of connection which is capable of withstanding the pressures employed may be used. For example, the cover may be welded directly to the container or shell 2 and the anges eliminated. Of course, an arrangement of this character would not permit as ready separation of the shell 2 and the cover as is possible where the parts are merely bolted together.

'I'he shell or container 2 is provided with an opening I3 near the base thereof to permit removal of the contacting liquid and any solid material which has been deposited in the container. 'I'his opening I3 is closed under ordinary operating conditions by a plug I4 threaded in a sleeve I5 which is welded or otherwise secured to the shell around the opening. The opening I5 is located higher on the shell 2 and is for the purpose of draining and relilling the shell. This opening is provided with an elbow Il threaded in a sleeve I8 which is welded to the shell around the opening. The elbow II is positioned so that the end I9 extends upwardly so as to facilitate filling the shell with the contacting liquid. This elbow is provided with a plug 25 which normally closes the upper end thereof. When the cleaner is filled with the contacting liquid it is preferably lled to approximately the top of the elbow so that the surface 2| of the pool of liquid will be adjacent the ends of the contactor tubes carried by the cartridge.

'Ihe cover 3 is a circular plate of suilicient thickness to withstand the pressures encountered and also to support the cartridge 4. It is provided with an inlet pipe 22 which is welded to the cover around the inlet opening 5 and an outlet pipe 23 welded around the outlet opening 6. To the bottom side of the cover 3 three stud bolts 24 are secured for the purpose of holding the cartridge 4 firmly to the cover. The ends of these bolts are threaded to receive nuts 25 on which the cartridge rests.

The cartridge 4 is preferably cylindrical and is provided with a side wall or jacket 3|, a bottom 32 and a top 33. The bottom 32 and the top 33 are secured to the jacket tightly so that gas will not enter the cartridge without passing through the contactor tube 34 and will not pass out of the cartridge except through the outlet neck 35. The neck 35 is secured to the top 33 and extends upwardly therefrom and into a recess 36 in the cover 3. 'Ihe neck ts tightly in the recess 36 so as to provide substantially a liquid-tight joint between the neck and the cover.

The entire cartridge is supported by the cover 3 through the bolts 24v. These bolts extend downwardly from the cover through holes 31 in the wings 38 which are integral with the neck 35. It is obvious that with these three bolts and the three wings the cartridge as a whole may be secured in a rigid manner to and supported from the cover and in such a manner that the outlet of a cartridge communicates directly with the outlet 6 in the cover.

The bottom of the cartridge contains several openings. The opening 39, which is located substantially axially of the cartridge, is for the purpose of permitting liquid collected on the top of the bottom of the cartridge to return to the pool. One end of a tube or pipe 4I! is secured to the periphery of the opening 39 and extends downwardly from the cartridge so that when the vIl() 'acter just described or any aaiogers'e cartridge' is imposition vin theshell 2 Athe'bot'toiin end of-this pipe 40 will be considerably below the pool level 2|'. The bottom y32V also contains openings A4| through which the contacter tubes 34 extend.A Each contacter tube is secured to and supported by the bottom 32 andthe upper lend of each contacter extends into the interior of the jacket te a sufficient extent to prevent liquid deposited on the bottom 32 from` returning to the pool through the contacter tubes. T'he upwardly extending ends of each tubev alsov provide a support for a cap 42. Thecontactortubes extend downwardly from the bottom of the cartridge to a position adjacent the pool level 2|. When the device is not in operation the lower edge 43 of each contacter `tube is preferably slightly below the pool level but in operation the liquid around the tube is depressed so as to permit the passage of gas upwardly therethrough.

By the expression contacter tube as used in this specification I refer to a tube'of the character disclosed in the Sillers Patent'No. 2,048,145 which is utilized to effect an intimate contact between the liquid and the gas by virtue of the pressure of and the velocity at which the gas strikes the pool of liquid and passes upwardly through the tube. As is specifically described in said Sillers patent, a very substantial quantity of liquid is carried up into and through the contacter tube, and during the passage of the gas therethrough a very intimate mixture of the fluids is effected. f

yThe jacket 3| of the cartridge houses apparatus for removing drops of liquid that may be carried up with the gas and for returning such liquid to -the bottom of the cleaner. After the gas passes out of the upper end of a contacter tube it impinges upon and passes through the screen 44 of a strainer-like cap 42 carried at the upper end of the tube. The screenv 44 may be made of wire or gauze or any other suitable material. The gas and liquid pass through the screen with a substantial horizontal component to the velocity thereof which prevents the larger drops of liquid from being carried up through the jacket with the gas to a greater height.v This arrangement is especially effective in a device where the diameter is small and the distance between the strainer or cap and the wall of the cartridge is not great. These screens are not provided at the upper end of each contacter tube for catching solid material but are for the purpose of directing the spray which passes up through the contacter tubes laterally instead of vertically. f

In spite of the use of strainers of the charother arrangement for a like purpose, fine drops of liquid are carried upward with the gas and it is necessary to remove them and return them to the supply of liquid in the bottom of the device in order lto prevent depletion of this supply. Unless appropriate apparatus is provided to remove the drops of liquid from `the gas the apparatus cannot operate uninterruptedly for anylong period of time without replacement of the contacting liquid.

In the arrangementshown in the drawings, the gas passes upwardly through the jacket 3| and through one or more beds of filtering material. These beds of ltering material extend completely across the jacket so that the gas in its upward flow must contact the ltering material and pass therethrough. As the gas'y passes through the filtering materalthe entrained liquid is deblown` up through pipe 49,l 'extends resting thereon are conical wire screen posit'ed on it and from there is returned to the pool in the bottom of the shell er container. Anysuitable filtering material'may be used. Where the gas being cleaned is natural gas crimped copper wool is satisfactory but any other material of similar physical character can be used so long as it is not detrimentally affectedl bythe gas and oil or other contacting liquid.

Where ther cleaning apparatus is designed to have a relatively large capacity measured in volume of gas passed through it in proportion to its size, the velocities employed are'frequently so high that the liquid collected on'the filtering material will not drain downwardly but will be the filtering material. This is particularly true where the velocity of the gas passing upwardly through thevfiltering material is relatively uniform throughout substantially theentire cross-sectional area thereof and where the liquid is collected on the ltering material in `considerable quantities. I have found that this diiculty can be obviated by providing means to interrupt the flow oi the gas in certain parts of the device and means for collecting the liquid and returningv it to the pool of contacting liquid in thegbase of the device. f `In order to interrupt the flow of the gas and collect theentrained liquid the device shown in the drawings is provided with two sets of spaced inclined radial troughs 46. In some instances only one set of radial troughs will be used where- 'as infother instances a greater number will be used. The upper yend of each trough 46 is welded orotherwise rigidly secured tev an annular supporting ring 41 which is secured to the inner wall of the jacket 3|-, The lower end of each radial trough isrigidly secured to the cone-shaped basin 48 secured tothe upper end of a pipe 49. The

downwardly 3| and through the opening 39 in the bottom thereof andextends further downwardly inside the tuber or pipe 40. The basin 48 and the pipe 49v Yare for the purpose of returning to the pool liquid which has been eliminated during the passage of the -gas through the filtering material.

The troughs 45' of the second set are mounted in Va manner similar to the troughs 46 included in the lower set.v The upper end of each trough 46'is secured to the annular ring 5B which is secured to the vinner wall of the jacket and the lower end of each trough 46 of this set issecured to ka basin 5| which is rigidly secured to the'upper end of a pipe 52 which extends downwardly through the jacket. This pipe 52 passes through the basin 48, the pipe 49, the opening 39 inthe 'bottom of the cartridge and the pipe 40 and is for the purpose of returning to the pool any liquid which has been taken out by the filtering material positioned above the upper troughs' 4B'. The troughs 46 and 4B not only alsose'rve to interrupt the upward flow of gas and materially reduce the velocity thereof.

Immediately A'above each set of troughs and I baskets 53 which support 'the'iiltering material. Each bed 54 of filtering material carried by the wire baskets/53 is of substantial depth and the material is so placed that it will have a level upper surface. Each bed 54 is held in place by a circular wire screen 55 supported on an annular ring '56 mounted on the inner side-wall of the jacket. Eachscreen 55 through the jacket n is secured to an annular ring 56v and the annular rings are secured to the sidewall of the jacket so that the filtering material will not be displaced during shipment.

Where it is desirable to use beds of filtering material which are of substantial depth I prefer to split up the beds into sections. This arrangement is shown in the drawings. Immediately above each screen 55 there is another bed 51 of filtering material. These beds rest on the displacement preventing screens 55 and are held in place by similar screens 58 which are likewise supported on annular rings 59 on the inner wall of the jacket.

The annular ledges or brackets on which the various screens or troughs are supported act as baflles to deect the gas flow along the Walls inwardly toward the center of the device and thereby aid in rendering the filtering material effective.

As the gas passes upwardly through the jacket the velocity thereof between the spaced troughs is frequently suniciently high to prevent liquid from draining down. The velocity immediately above the troughs is nil and a short distance above the troughs is still quite small. By varying the velocities of the upwardly moving gas at spaced points around the cartridge the gas will pass on upwardly through the filtering material but the liquid will be removed by said material and will iiow with a lateral and generally downward component toward the troughs where it is collected.

The space within the cartridge above the iiltering material in the upper basket is unobstructed and communicates freely with the outlet 35 which in turn communicates with the outlet pipe 23.

In operation the gas enters the outer shell 2 of the cleaner through the inlet pipe 22 and the inlet opening 5 in the cover and passes downwardly around the jacket. The gas strikes the pool of liquid in the base of the container 2 and then passes upwardly through the contactor tubes into the interior of the jacket. The gas passing up through the contactor tubes will carry some liquid upwardly in the form of a fine spray. Most of this liquid which is carried up through the tubes will accumulate above the bottom 32 and will run back into the pool through the pipe 40. This liquid will carry with it most of the dirt washed out of the gas. Some liquid will pass on upwardly through the jacket and will be caught on the filtering material in the lower basket. This liquid will fiow into the basin t8 and will then be returned to the pool through the pipe 49. A still smaller amount of the liquid entrapped by the gas will be caught by the material in the upper basket and this liquid will drain into the basin 4| and be returned to the pool in the basin of the device through the tube 52.

The resistance to the now of gas up through the contactor tube and through the material in the several baskets will not be great and will amount only to a few inches or a foot of the total head. The elevation at which the liquid in each of the spaces between the several pipes which lead it back to the pool will stand above the liquid level which will be established in the container 2 will depend upon the pressure lost in each operation, the liquid standing a little higher in each of the three pipes as one progresses toward the center pipe.

In most of the installations where a cleaner of this type is used the material to be removed from the gas is finely divided particles of dust or finelydivided'liquid particles such as tar. The embodiment shown in the drawings is not intended to be used to remove any volatile constituent from the gas or to add a volatile constituent thereto, so that the volume of the liquid will remain almost constant for a considerable period of time unless some of the liquid is carried over as a spray or mist with the flowing gas. 'Ihis apparatus is particularly effective to prevent any substantial carry-over and should be of such a size and operated at such a rate of speed that the carry-over will not be serious. Of course, if the volume vof gas passed through the apparatus is greater than it can properly take care of, there will be a sufficient liquid carry-over to prevent the device from being as eifeotive as when used under proper conditions.

There are conditions where the gas is of such character or at such temperature that it tends to absorb some material from the oil or other liquid being used or to give up some constituents to the liquid so that the volume of liquid may tend to increase or to diminish. The invention described above can be used under such conditions when appropriate additional features which are well known in the art are added thereto in order to maintain the character and quantity of the liquid employed suiiiciently constant for all practical purposes. It will be readily apparent that the device shown in the drawings can be utilized with other equipment which will regulate continuously or intermittently the level of the liquid in the contactor so as to compensate for any carryover or increase in volume.

In the device shown in the drawings the cartridge is not on the center line of the container 2; One reason for this is that it is desirable to keep the apparatus as small in diameter as practicable and still provide connections for the admission and withdrawal of gas through the cover. In order to obtain proper connections itis more convenient not to have the cartridge on the center line. A second reason is that it is desirable not to obstruct the inflow of gas through the inlet pipe any more than is necessary. As the space above the container required to insert the inlet and outlet pipes is limited, it isnecessary to have the inlet pipes partially over the cartridge cover. It is preferable to have it overlap the cartridge cover as little as possible in order to leave the flow unobstructed. This can be best accomplished by positioning the cartridgeY off center.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that it is -not limited to the specific apparatus shown and described but may be otherwise. embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Contacting apparatus for cleaning gas under pressure comprising a pressure resisting container adapted to hold a pool of liquid, a top closure for said container, an inlet for admitting gas to the container above the level of the liquid therein, a substantially gas-tight cartridge supported in said container by the closure therefor, at least one contactor tube opening through a wall of the cartridge and extending downwardly to a point adjacent the surface of the pool of contacting liquid for permitting gas to pass from the container into the cartridge and for effecting intimate contact between the gas and the liquid, a gas outlet opening through a wall of the container and opening into the cartridge for discharging gas from the device, separating means in the cartridge including a bed ofiiltering material extending transversely across the cartridge between the contactor tube and the outlet .and a plurality of spaced radially disposed drainage members positioned below the ltering bed for varying the rate of flow of gas through the bed of ltering material, and means cooperating with said drainage members for returning liquid removed from the gas to the pool in said container.

2. In gas cleaning apparatus ofthe character described, the combination of a substantially gas-tight enclosure, means wardly through said enclosure, an outlet for discharging gas from the enclosure, a bed of ltering material filling a transverse section of said enclosure between the inlet and outlet, said bed having an inclined bottom, a plurality of spaced inclined troughs disposed adjacent the bottom of said bed and in the path of the gas travelling for passing gas 11p-- therethrough, and a duct communicating with the lower end of each of said troughs and extending downwardly through said enclosure.

3.' In gas vcleaning apparatus of the character described, the' combination of a substantially gas'- tight enclosuremeans including an inlet at one end and an outletl at the other end of said enclosure for-'passing gas upwardly through the enclosure, a bed of ltering material extending completely across a traverse section of said enclosure, supporting means for said bed, a plurality of spaced inclined troughs disposed adjacent the bottom of said bed and in the path of the gas as it enters said bed, and a dischargev conduit communicating with the lower end of each of said troughs and extending downwardly through said enclosure, whereby entrained liquid will be removed from the gas and discharged from the enclosure.

EDWIN R. BRODEN. 2o 

